Lecture 1 Motivation

Categories of Analysis
A. Nomothetic: a search for general laws by studying large groups. Results
that hold for one group may apply to other groups.
Idiographic: a search of indvl differences; ie, or how organisms differ from
each other
B. Innate vs Acquired: McDougall and James saw motivated behaviour as
controlled by innate MOTIVES- inborn motives called instinct- attachment in
humans and imprinting in ducklings during a sensitive period.
Acquired motives in contrast are learned; eg, INCEPTIVE motivation is the
value placed in a goal and the goal becomes through experience and learning
to be valued.
C. Internal vs External: Bio-Needs are sources of motivation and are Internal.
Deprivation brings about needs ad internal sources of motivated behaviour..
deprivation create needs and needs create drive. Whereas incentives and
goals are External sources of motivation.
D. Mechanisitc vs Cognitive: Are motivational processes blind, mechanical,
triggered automatically by internal and external sources without conscious
awareness or choice?
OR
Are motivational processes Cognitive in so far as conscious choice operates.
This approach assumes that the manner in which information is interpreted
influences motive states.
-eg, attributing failure to ability or to luck; doe sthi influence emotion
and subsequent motivation?

Levels of Analysis
A. Physiological Analysis is concerned with the brains control of motivated
states (motivated when emotional, emotional when motivated)
- Which brain structures trigger motivational states? Study the brain through
1) electrical 2)chemical 3)surgical manipulation
eg, olds and Milners study of reward centers in the brain by 1)
implanting electrodes in selected brain sites. Rates were motivated for hours to
receive electrical stimulation in the septal region of the brain by depressing a lever.
2)Chemical manipulation by insertin a tube (Canula) into brain sites and releasing
chemicals
3) Lesion within the brain by removing brain tissue in a given sit on the brain and
observe behaviour result.

Lecture 1 Motivation
4)EEG recording of brain wave patterns associated with motivation. PET records of
metoabolic activity and MRI to visualize active areas in the brain (pg 9-10)
B. Individual Analysis research aimed at understanding motivational
changes due to internal and external conditions.
- In studies of achievement, motivation was induced by telling subjects that
they had failed and important task. In aggression studies observe results of
modeled presentations of aggression. (pg 10-11)
C. Social Analysis examines motivational changes in the presence and
absence of others. The role of situational factors such as work, school a party.
D. Philosophical Analysis may view motivation as an aversive state to
escape or avoid.
-Freud,s philosophy presents motivation as tension that must be
released and thus reduced so as to restore equilibrium.
Major Constructs
A. Energy drives behaviour and specific mechanisms direct behaviour to
different goals depending on the motive activate.
-General energy- motivational drive is a single source for all
behaviour. Or there may be
Specific forces behind particular behind particular behaviours.
B. Physiological mechanisms assume motivational dispositions are
genetically programmed or wired-in in the organism.
This approach takes one of two form
1. Instinct approach assumes energy accumulates and leads to a
motivational state responsive to specific stimuli releasing specific behviours (eg,
imprinting). And evolutionary psychology emphasizes motivated behaviours as
adaptions to environmental conditions that benefit the organism and species
survival.
2. Brain Circuitry approach; specific brain circuits monitor internal
states of the boys and activate motivatd bhevr (eg hunger need is related to
monitored glucose levels)
C. Learning focuses on how motivational patterns are acquired or
conditioned.
Hull emphasized the role of need, their reduction reinforcing
behaviours that reduced the need and drive state. Bandura introduced the role of
modeling for motivated behaviour.
D. Social Interaction examines situational-group factors e,g conformity
studies (Asch) and power of authority (Milgram). How does social pressure
influence and motivate action?
E. Cognitive Processes propose that interpretation of information

Lecture 1 Motivation
influences motivation as in cognitive dissonance and attribution of cases of
ones own and others behaviour. What is the role of active information
processing in motivation?
-Dissonance can be beneficial- dissonance creates tension and tension
motivate the indvl.
F. Activation focuses on triggers, peripheral and central locations
activating motivational behaviours.
-Peripherl Cues such as dry mouth, hunger pangs.
-Central Cues such as hormone levels, eg leptin in fat cells related to
different motivational states s/a hungrt
G. Homeostasis involves the maintenance of an optimal level of internal
bodily functioning.
-Above or below the optimal level, motivational behaviours are
triggered to correct and restore homeostais or equilibrium
H. Hedonism (Freudian) postulated that organisms are motivated by the
search for pleasure and avoidance of pain. Drives are tensions to be reduced.
I. Growth Motivation (GM) assumes that there are higher lebel motives
that emphasize striving for personal fulfullment leading to fuller functioning.
Motivation is not merely the correction of deficits of the reduction of drive states.

principle of consentcy Freud

d. Fixed Action Patterns (FAPs) have been studied and are considered to be as
follows:
-species-specific motor patterns that are rigid, stereotypes and blind; (occur
automatically).
FAPs are invariant (little variability). FAP occurs to external stimuli and to build-up
of internal tension that serves to release the FAP in vacuo. (this guys fucked)

B. Intention Movements and Social Releasers: low energy, incomplete responses

Lecture 1 Motivation
stances is related to departure and the shitfs in weight from one leg to the other
signals impending departures.
- weight shifts were exaggerated when one departed alone.
- we mimic others bhvr when in harmony with that person. Thus we can infer
their bhvrl
intention.
2. Intention movements communicate motives.
C. Motivational Conflict: when two or more key stimuli are present, which bhvr
occurs?
1. Successive Ambivalent Behaviour: the alternation between incomplete
responses as in attack and flight. motive to attack and the motive to retreat to
conflict.. passive-aggresive
2. Simulataneous Ambivalent Behaviour: both motivational states expressed
in same behaviour as in the arched back of a cat signaling attack and flight
3. Redirected B: the appropriate reponse occurs but is ot directed to the
appropriate object; similar to displacement.
4. Ethological Displacement: where two equally strong motives are in conflict
and inhibit each other; as in attack and flight balance out, the bhvr is directed
toward some other object and activity- stickleback nest building.
5. Reaction Chains: complex sequence of behaviour are built from simpler key
stimuli, FAP combinations. E.g., Courting behaviour of male-female stickleback( p4445)
-Lorenz suggests that instinct-conditioning may take place where there are
gaps in reaction chain sequences. These are called instinct-conditioning
intercalation.
-Imprinting: instinct and learning intermingle. Imprinting as a socialization
precoess whereby the process of becoming attached to the object is both inate and
learned.
CHARACTERISTICS OF IMPRINTING:
1. Occurs during a limited cirtical period in early development.
2. Imprinting is permanent and irreversible and influences species identification
and sexual preferences in adulthood.
-reversibility of imprinting in birds depends on whether the species
Nidifugous- leaves the nest
welt anschauung- World view
children move through egocentric to sociocentic thought (theory of mind)